There's speculation North Korea could make a big policy announcement today... as the regime is holding a Workers' Party gathering in Pyongyang on this Friday.<br />It's the same meeting as the one in 2013 when Kim Jong-un adopted his policy of simultaneously developing the North's economy AND nuclear weapons program.<br />Let's connect to our unification ministry correspondent Oh Jung-hee on the line...<br />Jung-hee, under normal circumstances we'd be concerned about the North raising tensions at a meeting like this,... but we could see quite the opposite this time around.<br />Fill us in on what you are hearing...<br /><br /> Good afternoon, Mark.<br />The meeting the North is holding today is the third plenary session of its ruling Workers' Party's central committee.<br /> And a major policy change could be made here,... as a report from Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency on Thursday hinted that the meeting will decide on new policies in line with (quote)"the important historic period."<br />And that's apparently in reference to the inter-Korean summit only a week away... and the Washington-Pyongyang summit now in the works.<br /><br /> As you mentioned, this is the same kind of meeting with the one held in March 2013, where the Workers' Party adopted Kim Jong-un's signature " Byongjin" policy,... which seeks both nuclear and economic development.<br />I was able to talk to a few experts, and they say... this meeting could see some changes to that policy... as it comes ahead of the back-to-back summits with Seoul and Washington, which are expected to focus heavily on denuclearization.<br /> Whether the regime will clearly stipulate that it's willing to abandon its nukes is not clear.<br />But it may stress that the regime's security has to be guaranteed first... or it might choose... not to call itself a 'nuclear state' but a 'strategic country.'<br /> Also the party could show a willingness to improve relations with Seoul, Washington and Tokyo... and seek a peaceful coexistence within the international community.<br />Pyongyang hopes to use this meeting as a cushion, pundits say... so its officials and citizens are aware of and ready for whatever agreement North Korea reaches with Seoul and Washington in the upcoming summits.<br />Mark. <br />
